SocialMom of the Month: Meet Jendi Pagano!

If you’re a SocialMom, chances are you know that online video is exploding. And it’s not just popular with your site visitors — search engines love video, too. In fact, according to our October SocialMom of the Month, video gives you a 53% better chance of an organic first-page link on Google!

You may know this. And you may still be shyly waiting in the wings, not-quite-ready for prime time. (Ahem… like me.) Let’s consider this our video-vitamin boost, shall we?

Meet Jendi Pagano of Hershey, Pennsylvania. She’s a happily married mom of three kids under age 10, homeschooler, blogger — and a passionate online video maven. In fact, as the force behind her three video-driven websites, Jendi’s what many call the “Vlogging Queen.”

Jendi is the author of Jendi’s Journal, a daily life blog where she reviews books, products or anything else that sparks her interest; Simple Vlogging Tips, where she coaches and inspires others to succeed with video; and Scenes & Cinema, her video VA business site.

She started vlogging because she loved watching vlogs, wanted to build stronger online relationships, and “wanted to be a part of ‘the new thing of 2008,'” she says. She’s now a popular speaker/writer on the topic, vlogs at least once a week, and has developed an encouraging presence online for others to follow in her footsteps.

What kind of advice can you share with SocialMoms who’d like to give video a try?

“Just vlog it. The first step is often the hardest — so take the first step! Don’t worry about buying new things or making it fancy. Use whatever you have and make a short video. After all, video is the quickest way to build credibility and showcase your expertise.” (Here’s me, taking Jendi’s advice, despite my knee-knocking fear and unwashed hair!)

What are your top tips for novice video bloggers?

Think of a specific friend, customer, or online reader that you are addressing in your video. Picture them in your mind as you record or paste their picture on your camera so you can talk to them.

Umm … they make videos with me … we enjoy playing outside games when it’s nice and board games when it’s not so nice. We enjoy movies — oops, guess that’s video-related too. Our children love to bake simple desserts with us — and while it’s baking we watch videos!

Describe your perfect Saturday.

A bit of time to work while my husband takes care of the kids. A bit of time to read, a bubble bath, a little gardening, a fun meal, and a movie. [ya know I had to get video in there somewhere!]